Distinguish between basic needs, higher needs and wants or preferences.

Our basic physical needs are air, water, food, protection from the elements and sleep.

Everything else is a higher need or preference.

It’s important for all of us to work toward higher needs. We want good health, satisfying employment, rewarding relationships, a sense of belonging and so on up the pyramid.

But take note: Designer shoes are not on Maslow’s pyramid of human needs. Neither are BMWs, bigger houses, dinners out three times a week, or international vacations. These all are wants or preferences.

Don’t get attached to preferences. Don’t undervalue your life if you cannot afford these luxuries. Enjoy them if you can, release the desire for them if you can’t. Your life is not worse, less significant or less valuable if you don’t accumulate possessions or unusual experiences. In fact, a growing number of philosophers and spiritual leaders say that a focus on the material blinds us to the truly valuable.

Ultimately, the choice is yours.

Choose to be happy. Choose contentedness.

Find the value and joy in the experiences available to you every single day, and embrace them.

This is the most recent installment in an ongoing series elaborating on 52 proven stress relievers identified by researchers at Texas Woman’s University.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 at 8:55 am and is filed under Anxiety, Mental Health, Stress, Wellness, Wisdom. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.